Plans to turn what was Tenby’s last remaining bank into a restaurant, have been refused by local councillors.

At a meeting of Tenby Town Council on June 11, an application [Reference: NP/25/0309/FUL] submitted by Ion Cernant of Carmarthen [who is listed as a director of Swansea based company L'Osteria Toscana Ltd] for a change of use of shop to a restaurant with associated works, at the former HSBC Bank building, situated at 4 Tudor Square, was recommended for refusal by members.

After discussing the application, councillors stated, in their recommendations: “This area of Tudor Square already has a number of cafes and restaurants within a 50-metre radius of the proposed development; and members feel that the conversion of a shop to a restaurant will have a detrimental effect on the retail offering of the town centre contrary to Policies 2c and 57c of the Local Development Plan.”

Councillors’ views will be passed onto the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, who will consider the plans at a later date.

Tenby Chamber of Trade recently wrote to local councillors calling upon them to provide reassurances that retail outlets will be protected within the seaside town to keep it ‘thriving’ for both locals and visitors alike.